


Family is Family

by hilli98215



Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot
Genre: Anxiety, Family, Friendship, Human AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:29:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hilli98215/pseuds/hilli98215
Summary: When Munkustrap notices Tugger is late, the man is worried that their past will cause Tugger to back out of being part of the wedding. He gets so wrapped in the ‘what ifs’ that he forgets what caused him to ask his brother in the first place. Good thing for Munkustrap, Alonzo is there to calm his nerves and remind him what having brothers is like.
Relationships: Demeter/Munkustrap (Cats)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	Family is Family

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sort of Part 2 to We all Need a Bit of Confidence. You do not need to read that to understand what is going on.  
> I’m actually proud of how this came out. Especially since I don’t usually write chapters or part 2s to anything. I try to stick to one-shots or drabbles. Or anything with a prompt. This was a fun challenge.  
> My headcanon here is that Munkustrap overthinks things and gains anxiety from that but, like Demeter, Alonzo knows how to get his friend out of that particular headspace. Also, I’d like to think that Alonzo thinks of Plato as a brother even if they aren’t biologically brothers.  
> Also, huge thank you to NocturnalMelody for encouraging me to write this.

Munkustrap was worried and reasonable so. His brother and his fiance were supposed to be here nearly twenty minutes ago and they were still not here. 

The usually calm man began to pace, not caring if others saw him like this.

His thoughts began to focus on the negative with various ‘what-ifs’ on the forefront. 

_ What if they were in an accident? _

_ What if Mistoffelees fell ill? _

_ What if Tugger changed his mind about the wedding? _

The last thought caused him to stop pacing, for it was the only one that made sense in his mind that is. Their relationship was never the best but it was getting better. Or so he thought. But was it enough? Ever since that day, they have tried to put an effort to become better. But what if that effort wasn’t enough?   
Was it enough to include Tugger in his wedding?

Munk took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He couldn’t let his mind wander ever further but he couldn’t help it. It was just who he was, or rather, who he became.

Outside of Munkustrap’s inner turmoil, Alonzo could sense his best friend’s stress levels rise beyond what they usually were. And that was telling for someone who doesn’t know how to relax in the first place. 

Alonzo can never imagine being in his friend’s shoes. His own brothers were quite close and he can’t see them ever falling apart.    
“Munk, you need to take a seat and calm down.”

His words fell on deaf ears, “You know Tugger would never forget about this.”

Munkustrap stood there silently before turning towards Alonzo. “How would you know? For all you know, he could still have the same rage towards me from when we were kids.”

He finally took a seat. His fingers buried in his naturally gray hair almost pulling it out. He took a shaky breath. He closed his eyes so hard they began to hurt. Munk tried to focus on the positive but it didn't work.

Alonzo, sensing Munk’s stress and anxiety rise, took a seat next to him and put an arm around his shoulders and leaned back. 

“Think of it like this.” He needed to choose his words carefully or this would get much much worse. “ You and Tugger grew up in ways that I can’t compare to, but I know from what Mistoffelees tells me and pretty much everyone else who asks him, that Tugger does love you. You are his mighty older brother whom he will always look up to. Yes, that incident caused a rift, but he didn’t want you out of his life.”

By the end of Alonzo’s speech, Munkustrap opened his eyes and his fingers relaxed. He left his hands in his hair as if that was what was keeping him grounded.

“When did you become so smart?” Munkustrap joked.

Alonzo gave a wry grin. “Well, when you have Tumblebrutus, Pouncival, and Plato as brothers you learn a thing or two.”

Munkustrap smiled as he relaxed even more and took his hands off of his head. He leaned back just to match Alonzo whose arm was still around his shoulders.

The two sat in silence for a few moments as Munk collected his thoughts.

Alonzo took this as a sign to talk a bit more. “Family is hard. You know that. Heavyside, I even know that. Do you remember when you asked Tugger to be part of your wedding? I mean, I thought his reaction was perfection.”

The other grinned as he reminisced that day. It was after he proposed to Demeter who also suggested he get his head out of his ass and tell Tugger that he was in fact invited. And he was in fact wanted as a groomsman. Tugger’s face was full of surprise and he swore his younger brother had tears in his eyes. His otherwise confident persona cracked at that moment. Munkustrap was happy that he took Demeter’s advice at the time. 

“He cried so much that I had no choice but to hug him. Mistoffelees was even surprised that Tugger accepted me touching him.” 

Alonzo gave Munkustrap a pat on the shoulder, “See! I told you he loves you no matter what.”

Munkustrap was about to give a reply when the two heard some commotion at the door as well as some loud voices.

“Ponce, would you move! I can’t hear what they’re saying!”

“Well, if you didn't push me we wouldn’t have this problem” Tumble irritably replied.

“Should we stop them?” Mungojerrie asked a weary-looking Plato .

Plato just shook his head with a fond smile toward his younger brothers, “Nope. Let them get in trouble.

Mungojerrie, though usually mischievous in his own right, did not want to get on Munkustrap or Alonzo’s bad sides.

Said pair, quietly walked over to the door and opened it. Out tumbled Alonzo’s curious brothers Pouncival and Tumblebrutus with Plato and Mungojerrie standing off to the side.

“And what do you four think you are doing?” Alonzo glanced at Plato as he was supposed to be in charge.

“Tumble wanted to know when Tugger was coming.” Pouncival accused his brother.

Pounce, on the other hand, knew this was a lie. Well, a sort of lie. “No, you wanted to see Tugger!”

The two brothers began arguing back and forth forgetting where they were.

Alonzo switched over to Plato. “And you were supposed to be watching them.”

Plato shrugged. “They were going to do it anyway so why bother.”

Munkustrap smiled at the scene. This is what he wanted for Tugger and himself. He wanted this brotherly comradery that made them family. Seeing this reminded him of that. 

To which he finally said with amusement in his voice. “Why don’t you four go back to the main room while Alonzo and I call Tugger and Misto to see where they are.”

The brothers nodded with a smile while Plato and Mungojerrie tried not to laugh.

“And you two,” Munkustrap pointed at the other two, “Make sure they don’t get into any more trouble.”

Mungojerrie gave a Cheshire grin, “Don’t worry we’ll keep these to busy and no trouble whatsoever.”

“ **I** will keep these three out of trouble.” Plato rolled his eyes. “Come on you three let’s see if Skimble needs help with anything.”

The other’s reluctantly left the two alone.

Meanwhile, Alonzo glanced at Munkustrap and noticed his smile and determination in his eyes. “Brother’s right?”

Munkustrap then came up with an idea and pulled out his phone. “‘Lonz, why don’t you call Tugger while I call Misto. If we call them both at the same time, we know for a fact they will be here.”

Alonzo grinned at Munk’s plan knowing it would work. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.” 

Ironically, they dialed the numbers at the same time and said the exact same thing with a bit of annoyance in their voice.

Munkustrap chuckled when he hung up.

“What’s so funny?”   
The former said nothing and just shook his head.

This is going to be fun. In the best way possible. No more fights. Even though they will be as awkward as ever. They will be brothers, and more importantly, they will be family.

**Author's Note:**

> Surprise! I decided to include these four to add a bit of comedy and to give Munkustrap the push he needs to be the brother he really wants to be.  
> I made the decision of who is calling who simply because it fits with the story rather than it being open-ended. Thanks for reading!  
> If you want to talk, my Tumblr is hilli98215. My Cats the Musical blog is the-metaphorical-jellicle-cat.


End file.
